Trade Union entry Seamens Union of Australia (ii) (1983 - 1988)

Summary

The history of the Seamen's Union of Australia dates loosely back to 1874 and the formation of the Sydney Seamen's Union and the Melbourne Seamen's Union. When these unions amalgamated just two years later in 1876 they formed the Federated Seamen's Union of Australia. Registered under the Commonwealth's industrial relations legislation in 1906 this union was deregistered just nineteen years later, although many of its members went on to form the Seamen's Union of Australasia in 1930, which became the Seamen's Union of Australia in 1943. Despite amalgamations with the Marine Cooks' Bakers' & Butchers' Association of Australia in 1983, the Federated Marine Stewards' & Pantrymen's Association of Australasia in 1988 and the Professional Divers' Association in 1991, it remained the Seamen's Union of Australia until 1991 when it amalgamated with the Waterside Workers' Federation to form the Maritime Union of Australia.